State Legislators Prepare For Economic Challenges
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
INDIANAPOLIS - State Sen. Kent Adams' red light camera bill was defeated in the House this session, after failing to receive a hearing.
This is the third year the senator representing Warsaw initiated the bill.
Speaker of the House Pat Bauer (D-South Bend) refused to assign the legislation to committee, effectively killing it.
"The speaker's own mayor and police department supported SB 3, along with the cities of Elkhart, Fort Wayne and Warsaw, and I was hopeful the bill would be discussed and heard on its own merits, with opportunity for these cities and local citizens to be heard in public testimony during committee," Adams said Wednesday.
Senate Republicans have other promotions, though, including a package of economic initiatives to create high-paying jobs. The JOBS Plan is tacked onto HB 2008 - The Energize Indiana legislation.
JOBS Plan provides about the same amount of funding for economic development as Energize Indiana (the O'Bannon-backed plan) without incurring the extra expenses and risks associated with using the tobacco award funds.
During a meeting with Senate and House Republican leaders Wednesday, journalists attending Media Day heard from Senate president pro tempore Bob Garton (R-Indianapolis).
"We must have immediate jobs and immediate economic development," Garton said, noting the state's Economic Development Council has not met since 1999.
"We're leading the country in job loss," said Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis), Republican House leader. "In 1988, we were sixth in the nation for job creation. In 2002, we were 48th."
Wednesday, the Caucus was waiting for the state revenue report, due Thursday. (Now official, that report predicts a $100 million revenue shortage, leaving the state with an $800 million deficit.)
Lawmakers expect to spend more than $22.5 billion over the next two years.
The increasing costs of education and Medicaid are other issues the GOP is attempting to control.
Sen. Pat Miller (R-Indianapolis), a registered nurse, said Medicaid is now a $400 million program, and it's growing at 10 percent per year.
"It is a major challenge to this administration," she said. "And the governor has not been engaged in Medicaid nor has his office."
She predicted the state's high-risk insurance program to have a $20 million payment deficit by July 31. [[In-content Ad]]
INDIANAPOLIS - State Sen. Kent Adams' red light camera bill was defeated in the House this session, after failing to receive a hearing.
This is the third year the senator representing Warsaw initiated the bill.
Speaker of the House Pat Bauer (D-South Bend) refused to assign the legislation to committee, effectively killing it.
"The speaker's own mayor and police department supported SB 3, along with the cities of Elkhart, Fort Wayne and Warsaw, and I was hopeful the bill would be discussed and heard on its own merits, with opportunity for these cities and local citizens to be heard in public testimony during committee," Adams said Wednesday.
Senate Republicans have other promotions, though, including a package of economic initiatives to create high-paying jobs. The JOBS Plan is tacked onto HB 2008 - The Energize Indiana legislation.
JOBS Plan provides about the same amount of funding for economic development as Energize Indiana (the O'Bannon-backed plan) without incurring the extra expenses and risks associated with using the tobacco award funds.
During a meeting with Senate and House Republican leaders Wednesday, journalists attending Media Day heard from Senate president pro tempore Bob Garton (R-Indianapolis).
"We must have immediate jobs and immediate economic development," Garton said, noting the state's Economic Development Council has not met since 1999.
"We're leading the country in job loss," said Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis), Republican House leader. "In 1988, we were sixth in the nation for job creation. In 2002, we were 48th."
Wednesday, the Caucus was waiting for the state revenue report, due Thursday. (Now official, that report predicts a $100 million revenue shortage, leaving the state with an $800 million deficit.)
Lawmakers expect to spend more than $22.5 billion over the next two years.
The increasing costs of education and Medicaid are other issues the GOP is attempting to control.
Sen. Pat Miller (R-Indianapolis), a registered nurse, said Medicaid is now a $400 million program, and it's growing at 10 percent per year.
"It is a major challenge to this administration," she said. "And the governor has not been engaged in Medicaid nor has his office."
She predicted the state's high-risk insurance program to have a $20 million payment deficit by July 31. [[In-content Ad]]